THE Russian people are “united as never before,” President Vladimir Putin claimed today as he sought to project confidence at a meeting of eastern and Asian nations.

The Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) meeting, hosted via video conference by India, was Mr Putin’s first multilateral summit since an armed rebellion by the Wagner Group rattled Russia and comes at a time when he is eager to show that the West has failed to isolate Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

The security grouping, founded by Russia and China to counter Western alliances, also welcomed Iran as a new member, bringing its membership to nine nations.